Presser-foot mechanism for sewing-machines



L. E. JOHNSON, E. ERICKSON AND 0. T. PETERSON.

PRESSER FOOT MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHiNES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12, 1919.

1 57,237 Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Inventors:

Lawrence E. Johnson,

Edward Erickson, 0H0 IiPeTersom UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE E. JOHNSON, OF MELROSE, EDWARD ERICKSON, OF LYNN, AND OTTO T.

PETERSON, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

PRESSER-FOOT MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed December 12, 1919.

To all w 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAWRENCE E. J OHN- son, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Melrose, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, EDWARD ERIoKsoN, a subject of the Republic of Finland, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and OTTO T. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presser-Foot'Mechanism for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in presser-foot mechanisms for shoe-sewing machines in which provision is made for automatically regulating the length of thread to be drawn from the source of supply in accordance with the various thicknesses of material being operated upon.

The present invention is an improvement upon the invention shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,133,149 issued to Lawrence E. Johnson and Edward Erickson Mar. 23, 1915.

In the device of the patent above referred to, the presser-foot is secured to a support slidably mounted in a cam-operated lever adapted to be actuated to release the pres sure of the presser-foot when the work is being fed. -The slidable support is adapted also to slide transversely of the lever in order to accommodate the presser-foot to varying thicknesses of material.

It is essential that when the support is given this additional movement transversely of the lever, there should be no cramping thereof which would prevent the support from slidino freely.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means for attaining this result.

The invention consists primarily in providing an adjustable abutment with which the slidable support contacts when the resser-foot is lifted which abutment is slightly yieldable under sufliclent spring Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Serial No. 345,428.

tension to prevent the slidable support from tilting in its bearing and thereby binding it will not interfere with the operation of said sliding support during the ordinary operation of the machine upon material of even thickness, the presser-foot being free to coact with the work and be lifted therefrom without engagement with said abutment.

The invention further consists of certain novel features of construction and arrange ment of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of. these instrumentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a portion of a shoe-sewing machine showing the present invention applied thereto, and

Fig. 2 represents a sectional detail to be hereinafter referred to.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a portion of the frame of a shoe sewing-machine in which is revolubly mounted a shaft 11 having a cam disk 12 secured thereto.

Secured upon the frame 10 in the usual manner, is a work support 13 which may be of any well-known construction.

Fixedly secured in the frame 10 is a rod 1d and over this rod extends a thread 15 drawn from any suitable source of supply. The thread if then passes around a pin secured to the thread lock cam lever 16 which pivoted at 17 and has at its rear end a roller 18 in the cam path 19 formed in one side of the cam. disk 12.

he thread Z passes from the pin 15 over a stationary pin 20 and then through slots in the downwardly extending arms 21 of a forked member 22.

The thread t passes from one arm 21 to the other arm 21 under a stud or pin 23 projecting horizontally from the side of the forward end of the lever 16.

From the forked member 22 the thread t passes through a hole 2% in the movable frame 25 to the usual wax-pot of a sewingmachine.

The rain disk 12 is provided on its outer face with a cam path 26 in which is positioned a roller 27 mounted on the end of the lever 28 pivoted at 29, and provided at its outer end with a transverse groove 30 in which is mounted the slidable forked member 22 having rack teeth 31 formed in one edge thereof.

The pivot 29 is provided with a gear 32 on its inner end, the teeth of which mesh with the rack teeth 31 of the slidable member 22.

The plate 33 secured to the end of the lever 28 prevents the displacement of the member 22.

This rack member 22 is provided with a forwardly extending arm 3% having adjust ably secured to the outer end thereof, the presser-foot 85.

The arm 34: has a shoulder 36 for-men thereon coacting with the upper face I. the lever 28 to limit the downward movement of said member 22. The member also provided with an upward extension be tween the upper end of which and the lever 28 is a helical spring 38 which tends to re tain the presser-foot in its normal position and against the tension of which said presser-foot is adapted to be lifted.

Secured to the pivot 29 is an arm 39 adapted to be manually operated to adjust the presser-if'oot 35 relative to the lever 8 and to accommodate it to varying thicknesses of material.

This is accomplished by the operator moving the arm 39 and thereby turning the pin ion 32, raising and lowering the presser-foot 35 at will.

lVhen any work is placed upon the sun port 13 the operator anjusts the presser-i oiit 35 in the manner just refer red to so that i will )ress upon the upper r; after which it will be automatica y (e1.- as the material varies in thickness.

@wing to the fact that the slidable member 22 is located outside of the pinion 32 and between it and one of the guide walls of the transverse groove 30 formed in the lever 28, any movement imparted to said lever 28 by the cam path 26, will. be transmitted to the presser-foot 35 thereby removing it from the work when it is desired to feed the latter, or exerting a gripping pressure when the work has been fed.

The main portion of the cam path 26 retains the operating face 0: the presser-foot in contact with the work on the support 1 and causes it to exert a gripping p essure thereon. but when it is desired to move the work along the support, the roller 2? of the lever 28 moves into the portion 410 of the cam path 26 thereby causing the presseufoot to be lifted from the work. temporarily while the work is bein moved into a new position.

When the presser-foot is moved downwardly by the cam-controlled lever 28 the work will. be securely gripped thereby agaii'ist the support 13, the lower face of the presser foot 35 being forced into the face of the work by the cam 12. i

The machine is so built that the member 22 will. be cramped between the opposite walls of the transverse guide groove 30 when the lever 28 is moved about its pivot 29. Just prior to the roll 2. entering the throw ell) to release the gripping pressure upon the work. the pinion 32 is locked to prevert any sliding movement of the member 22.

Consequently, when the roller 2'? enters the throw 40, the presser-foot will be bodily lifted from the work and will remain free from contact therewith until the completion of: the feeding operation when it will i "leas d and the spring 38 will be peri d to return the presser-foot into light contact with the work before the roll 2'? tors the concentric portion of the cam 26 produce the gripping pressure upon the work.

It is obvious that when the slidable member 22 is moved transversely of the outer end of the lever 28, the lower operating face of the presser-foot 35 will remain constantly in parallelism, in whatever position said presser-foot may be, relative to the lever and when the lever 28 is in posi ion to in the work, said operating t'ace is constantly in 1 arallelisin with the w rk support gardless of the thickness of the material being acted upon.

This operating face of the pre erioot will only assume a position at an r. the work support 13 when the presser-r lifted by the action of the throw 40 the roller 27 at the rear of the lever permit the work to be fed. when the roller 27 is in the concentric portion of the cam path 26, the operating face of the presser-foot 35 is parallel with tie face of the work support 13 and this is true regardless of the position of said presserfoot 35 relative to the lever 28 at this time.

When the throw 40 operates the lever 28, the operating face of the presser-foot 35 will be removed entirely from the work and held in this position until the work has been fed, after which the operating face will be returned into light contact with the work by means of the spring 38, the tension of which is only suflicient to position said presser-foot 35 without exerting any gripping pressure upon the work.

When the machine is in operation, the shoulders 36 of the member 22 will be separated from the upper face of the lever 28 and the operating face of the presser-foot 35 will be held by the spring 38 in light contact'with the work until the first stitch has been formed. When the lever 28 is moved about its pivot by the throw 40, the presser-foot 35 will be lifted free from contact with the workand will be held in elevated position until the work has been fed. At the conclusion of the work-feeding operation, the spring 38 will force the operating face of the presser-foot 35 into light contact with the work, this action occurring while the roll 27 is still in the throw 40. As the roll 27 moves into the concentric portion of the cam 26, the operating face of the presserfoot 35 will be forced into the material and a gripping pressure exerted thereon.

.Vhen the cam 26 acts on the left end of the lever 28 this lever will be moved about its pivot 29 and carry the members 22 and 35 therewith, the presser-foot 35 being caused thereby to give a gripping pressure upon. the work on the support 13. This action is due largely to the location of the pivot 29 adjacent to the sliding member 22 so that when said lever28 is moved about its pivot while the presser-foot 35 is in contact with the work, the slide 22 will be cramped between the walls of the transverse groove 30 011 the lever 28 and by this cramping operation said slide will be prevented from moving transversely of the lever 28.

Consequently, when the left hand end of the lever is moved upwardly by the cam 26, the operating face of the presser-foot 35 will be forced into the yielding material upon the work support 13 and firmly grip the same. While the work'is gripped in this manner, the needle enters the material and a stitch is formed. Subsequently, while the work is still gripped, the awl is moved to the right and then pierces the material. lVhile the awl is still in the material the roller 27 will enter the throw 40 and cause the gripping pressure of the presser-foot to be released, and the operating face thereof will be lifted from the work preparatory to another feeding of the same, this feeding being accomplished by the movement of the awl to the left.

The pin 23 is adapted to move in the forked end of the member 22, said pin being moved by the action of the cam path 19 on the lever 16 in the end of which said pin is mounted.

The cam path 19 is provided with a throw adapted to oscillate the lever 16 at the proper time to measure off the given quantity of thread for the stitch, the pin .in doing this moving longitudinally of the slot in the end of the member 22.

As the thread I? in crossing this slot passes beneath the pin 23, it is obvious that if the slidable member 22 was always in the same position, a given length of thread would always be measured by the oscillation of the lever 16 and the movement of the pin 23.

It is desired, however, to measure off different lengths of thread for different thicknesses of material and this is readily accomplished by means of the slidable member 22, it being self-evident that when the presserfoot 35 is raised the thread-carrying passages in the arms 21 of the member 22, are similarly raised to a new position corre' sponding with the thickness of the material and when in this raised position a greater quantity of thread will be drawn from the source of supply by the movement of the pin 23 in the forked end of the member 22, the lowermost position of said pin being the same under all conditions.

It is obvious that this thread measuring device will operate after the presser-foot 35 has returned into contact with the work. lVhen the takeup device is operating, the pin 23 will be in its highest position and the pin 15 will be in position to coact with the pin 20 to lock the thread to prevent it from being fed from the source of supply.

The roller 18 is of less diameter than the width of the cam path 19 and is in contact with the inner wall of said path only when the lever 16 is being moved about its pivot to measure the thread. The roller 18 never contacts with the opposite wall of said path. The pivot member 17 has secured to its outer end an arm 17 to the end of which is secured a spring 17*, the opposite end of which is fastened to the framework of the machine, all as described in the patent hereinbefore referred to.

This spring retains the pin 15 in contact with the pin 20 except during the thread measuring operation. When the pins 15 and 20 are in contact the roller 18 is in contact with neither wall of the cam path 19. When in the rotation of the cam 12, the throw of the cam path 19 comes into contact with the roller 18, the lever 16 will be moved about thepivot l7 and the pins 15, 20 will be separated. When the roller 18 again enters the concentric portion of cam path 19 it will be in position tree from either wall of said cam paths being retained in this position by the spring 17" holding the pins 15, 20 in contact.

Mounted upon the fixed rod 14 is a split block 11 having a clamping bolt 2 mounted therein by which said block 41 may be securely clamped in adjusted position about the axis of said rod 1a. This block all has upwardly extending ears l3 in which is mounted a stud 1 1 forming a pivot for a stop member 45.

This stop member 45 has disposed at its upper end a stud 46 on which is mounted a revoluble wheel M.

The stop member l5 has its forward lower end in contact with the upper face oi: the block 41 thereby preventing forward movement of said member 4E5 about the axis of the pivot 14-.

The rear end of the stop member 45 is separated. from the upper face of the block ll as shown in F ig. l of the drawings, and said member is normally retained in the position indicated in said F 1 by means of the spring 18 disposed within a socket in the block all and bearing against the under edge of the member 45.

ll hen the roller 27 is in the concentric it of the cam path 26 and the presscrfoot is in gripping contact with the work the upper extension of the member 22 is removed from the revoluble wheel abutment. 41 as indicated Fig. 2 of the drawings.

ll hen the roller 27 enters the throw 10 of the cam path and the pressi lifted from the work the upwa 37 of the slidable member 22 w l e me into contact with the revoluble wheel utinent. l7 and further 1" t1 movement of Sillit tension 3? is prevented.

As a result 0'43 this construction, the slid- Zll'llQ member 22 may be cramped between the opposite walls oi the transverse groove when it desired to move the ressor-toot by the oscillation 0;? the lever 28 bu when it desired to oil ct the sliding movement of the member 22 relatively to the 28 the cramping of the member st the opposite v is otthe transverse i. It.

It is obvious from an inspection of the dr wi th this abutment is slightly yi ding ngau the tension 01'' the spring l8 and the entire block -l-l with the member and rev 1 sure on the presser-toot from cramping the slid-able member 22 against the walls of the transverse slot 30.

This is due to the fact that when the rolh 41-7 is in action and coacting with the part i 1, the lower part of the slidable member 22 will be centered in the transverse groove 30 so that it can move freely.

The cam movement is so arranged as to use the pressure of the roller 17 on the 3'? as the awl is being released from the leather after the piercing and feeding movement has been completed thereby peruttiug the presscr-l oot to drop automatically.

in other words, by the use of the present is en-tion the crampi f of the presser-foot support in its opera lever is permitted when such cramping is desired in the operation of the machine and is prevent-ed when in the operation it is desirable to have said. presser-foot support freely slide transversely of its operating lever.

It is self-evident that by adjusting the block 11 on the rod 1% the revoluble abut ment maybe positioned so that the side walls of the slidable member 22 will be in perfect parallelism with the opposite walls ot the transverse groove 30 of lever 28 when the operation oi the machine requires the member 22 to be adjusted transversely of the operating lever 28.

it is believed that the operation and many advai'itages of the invention will be readily understood without further description.

' .ving thus described our invention, we

'1' ln :1 shoe-sewing machine, the combinaoil a work support; a presser-foot; a support therefor; a spring acting on SLL-ci support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; and an abut ment with which said slidable support is adapted to coact when the presser-toot is in raised position. 7

2. In a shoe-sewing machine the combination of a work support; a presser-toot; a slidable support therefor; a spring acting on said support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; and a revoluble abutment with which said slidable support is adapted. to coact when the presser-toot is in raised position.

3. ln a shoe-sewing machine the combination oi a work support; a presser-l oot; a si' ible support therefor; a spring acting on said. support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; and a yielding abutment with which said slidable support is adapted to coaet when the presser-toot is in raised position.

l. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a presser-foot; a slidable support therefor; a spring acting on said support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; and a spring pressed abutment with whichsaid slidable support is adapted to coact when the presserfoot is in raised position.

5. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a'work support; a presser-foot; a slidable support therefor; a spring acting on said support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; a fixed rod in the frame of the machine; a block adjustably mounted upon and secured thereto; a stop member pivoted to said block and having limited forward movement about its pivot; and a spring normally retaining said member in its forward position.

6. In. a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a presser-foot; a slidable support therefor; a spring acting on said support; a cam-controlled level carrying said slidable support; a fixed rod in the frame of the machine; a block adjustably mounted upon and secured thereto; a stop member pivoted to said block and having limited forward movement about its pivot; a spring normally retaining said member in its forward position; and a wheel revoluble in the outer end of said stop member.

7 In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a slidable member having an upward extension and a forwardly projecting arm; a resser-foot on said arm; a spring acting on said member; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable member; and an abutment with which said extension is adapted to contact when said presser-foot has been lifted from the work.

8. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a slidable member having an upwar extension and a forwardly projecting arm; a Presser-foot on said arm; a spring acting on said member;

a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable member; and a revoluble abutment with which said extension is adapted to contact when said resser-foot has been lifted from the work.

9. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a slidable memher having an upward extension and a forwardly projecting arm; a presser-foot on said arm; a spring acting on said member; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable member; and a yielding abutment with which said extension is adapted to contact when said resser-foot has been lifted from the work.

10. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a slidable memher having an upward extension and a forwardly projecting arm; a resser-foot on said arm; a spring acting on said member; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable member; and an adjustable abutment with which aid extension is adapted to contact when said presser-foot has been lifted from the work.

11. In a shoe-sewing machine, the combination of a work support; a presser-foot; a slidable support therefor; a spring acting on said support; a cam-controlled lever carrying said slidable support; and means preventing the cramping of said slidable support in its bearing in said lever when end movement is imparted to said slidable member due to varying thicknesses or the work.

Signed by us at 746-7 Old South Bldg, Boston, Mass, this 29th day of November,

LAWRENCE E. JOHNSON. EDWARD ERIOKSON. OTTO T. PETERSON. Witnesses:

WALTER E. LOMBABD, NATHAN O. LOMBARD. 

